Field of the Invention
This invention pertains in general to the field of medical devices for improvement of heart valves, such as mitral, aortic or tricuspid valves, as well as tools and methods therefore. More particularly the invention relates to a valve for short time replacement or support of a native valve, such as a mitral, an aortic or a tricuspid valve, in a heart and a method of delivery therefor.
Description of the Prior Art
During heart surgery, a premium is placed on reducing the amount of time used to replace and repair valves as the heart is frequently arrested and without perfusion.
Thus, it would be advantageous to have a short time replacement valve temporarily replacing a native valve to be repaired or replaced during such repair, replacement or preparations therefor in order to allow for e.g. a beating heart intervention.
Furthermore, since a premium is placed on reducing the amount of time used to replace and repair valves, there is not a lot of time for making decisions, preparing or performing surgery or medical intervention. Thus, it would also be advantageous to have more time to make decisions, for preparations and/or for performing surgery or medical intervention. This may be important, especially since more time may lead to an improved quality of the replacement or repair.
The use of a temporary valve has been disclosed in US20070219630 A1.
In US2012/101571A1 a mitral valve prosthesis is disclosed, for replacing failed/failing mitral valve in heart of patient. The valve prosthesis is for permanent implantation in the ventricle of the heart only and has multiple components to be assembled in the heart.
In US2008/077235 A1 an inflatable balloon is disclosed for the placement and treatment of an insufficient or stenotic cardiac valve, such as the mitral valve. Balloon may deflate, dislocate, punctured during delivery, etc.
In WO2012/095159 A2 a ring-shaped prosthetic valve is disclosed for permanently replacing an atrioventricular heart valve that comprises an annular body on which valvular cusps are fastened for insertion into a valve annulus of the heart.
In US2007/255396 A1 a girdle is disclosed for surrounding the chordae tendinae of a heart valve.
In US2007/038293 A1 a device and methods for endoscopic annuloplasty are disclosed. Opposed valve leaflets may be temporarily grasped and held into position prior to permanent attachment. No replacement valve is disclosed in US2007/038293 A1.
However, as can be seen from, e.g., FIGS. 5A and 5B and elsewhere in this document, the temporary valve is placed away from the mitral valve. Furthermore, as can be seen elsewhere in this document, a mitral valve separation unit is needed for proper function. Moreover, the flow is in the examples described in this document directed through conduits, such as conduits 130, 140, 330, 340, 430, 440, and thus not through the native valve.
The construction of the temporary valve function as a whole is thus rather complicated.
It may thus be advantageous to have a temporary valve which is of a simple, effective and cost-effective construction. Such a construction may utilize parts of or the whole native valve.